Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - The Confucius Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville has been busy with community and professional outreach and is working to expand its role as a link to Chinese culture by promoting local business connections, a new library, language lessons, an online photo gallery, and even accordion playing.

Taking its name from the famous sixth century B.C.E. Chinese philosopher, the institute is one of 42 such organizations nation-wide whose aim is to promote relationships between China and other countries and to enhance understanding of Chinese culture worldwide. UWP Confucius Institute faculty are visiting professors from the South Central University for Nationalities in Wuhan, China, a UWP sister college. Faculty will reside on campus for one year terms, teaching classes on Chinese culture and language. The UWP Confucius Institute had its grand opening, which featured authentic music, dancers and food, in April.

Since that time, Confucius Institute professors have engaged local service organizations in a show of internationally flavored goodwill. Visiting Confucius Institute professors Xiaojun "Helen" Wang and Ganjun He presented a talk on Chinese geography, culture and economy to the Optimist Club in Platteville in June. During the question and answer session, professor Wang and He were invited to present at the Rotary Club in August, and professor He was invited to present at the Kiwanis Club by a student in one of his free Chinese language lessons. The Kiwanis' event will take place in September.

"I think there's a real interest in Chinese folk music and folk culture in Southwest Wisconsin," says Confucius Institute director Marian Maciej-Hiner, "including music and dance, and the institute offers connections with these aspects of China."

In May, Wang, He and Maciej-Hiner attended the 44th annual Wisconsin International Trade conference in Milwaukee. The trio attended sessions and worked with a representative of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce to distribute Confucius Institute brochures to conference goers.

On campus, the Confucius Institute is working with UWP librarians to build a library of books on China. The library will be housed in a room at the Confucius Institute's office in Royce Hall. Students will be able to check out books written in English on Chinese geography, history, economics and literature, as well as books on how to speak the Chinese language. The Office of the Chinese Language Council International, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Ministry of Education in China, also known by its Chinese-to-English acronym Hanban, is donating the books.

The Confucius Institute is also adding a new set of Chinese language classes to be offered online for continuing education, and professor He will continue to teach free one hour private lessons on Mandarin Chinese to UWP students and staff members.

Classes will also be offered to community members and through continuing education courses. The institute is considering offering online classes in the future.

"We've accomplished a lot," says Maciej-Hiner, "and I'm pretty amazed by our progress. Our faculty are the best. They are absolutely amazing and it really is a great working relationship between the institute and the campus."

A photogallery on the institute's website offers yet another form of online outreach, including photographs of the Wisconsin conference, traditional Chinese performers at area high schools, student performance groups from South Central University, institute professors at work, and UWP celebrations.

The institute also encourages the personal touch from its professors - especially the accordion, an instrument professor He is accomplished at playing. The accordion is one of the most popular instruments in China and there are purportedly more accordion players in China than in any other country. Professor He played professionally there. In Wisconsin, he has been performing with local groups and has showcased his talent with local school children.

"The two universities [UWP and South Central] are working together very well," says Maciej-Hiner, "and Chancellor Markee is very interested in developing the relationship further. The Confucius Institute is gaining momentum all the time.

Anyone interested in more information should contact Maciej-Hiner at (608) 342-1302 or maciejhm@uwplatt.edu.

Contact: Marian Maciej-Hiner, director, Confucius Institute, (608) 342-1302, maciejhm@uwplatt.edu. Written by: Russ Brickey, writer, UWP Department of Public Relations, (608) 342-1194, brickeyr@uwplatt.edu